A New Hope
by tishtennis
Summary: With the new elite group that the Kages have erected, Kakashi is eager to see who has been selected by the other Hidden Villages. Little does he know he's already met one, and it's not only her strength that's attracting him.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

The birds chirped as the sun rose from slumber, beaming its strong rays over Hokage Tower. The Five Kages sat around the table, curious as to the sudden meeting called by Tsunade. All of the leaders were extremely busy, trying to conserve and repair their own lands after the devastation of Uchiha Madara. All of their countries were in a state of unrest, and what they needed was direction. If not for the desperation in the messenger ninja's voice, none would be there that day.

Ōnoki was the first to break the silence.

"Tsunade, what is the meaning of this? I have a country full of people who are currently in strife, and need their leader. State your purpose, or I shall take my leave now."

Tsunade eyed the old man, and her glare was enough to make him hesitate.

"Ōnoki, Gaara, Terumī, and Ei... I am deeply sorry to make you leave your countries unattended at the time when they need you most."

The Kages simply nodded in agreement, acknowledging her statement.

"I'm sure we have all been doing everything we can to restore our lands to their former glory. However, as I watch over my people rebuild their lives, I can't help but think that the countries we rule need us more than ever."

Ei slammed his fist into the table, bits of wood splintering from the force of the impact.

"If you know that already, then why did you call us here?! Get to the point, or you'll make me think that this Ninja Alliance was a ridiculous idea after all."

Tsunade rose from her seat, until she was eye to eye with Ei.

"Let me finish, Ei."

The menacing voice made the gruff man hesitate for a moment, before settling back into his chair.

Tsunade exhaled a deep sigh of exhaustion, before continuing.

"I sent a group of Jounin ninjas to do a Class A escort mission 10 days ago. Shortly after they had begun, one of the members came back in a state of extreme shock, with severe physical injuries . After intense medical assistance, we were finally able to discover that a new group of terrorists posing as Akatsuki were sending me a warning.

Gaara neatly intertwined his fingers together, allowing his chin to rest atop them. Sensing the opportunity, he quickly interjected.

"Akatsuki is dead. I myself can guarantee that. You may safely assume that this is a new enemy, simply riding the tails of what was the biggest threat in nin-."

"That's what I thought too. However, it doesn't stop there."

Though Gaara was unhappy with being interrupted, curiosity outweighed his feelings. He fell back into his seat, waiting for Tsunade to finish.

"I then sent 2 ANBU teams to address the situation, obviously expecting them to return within a few days."

Terumī leaned forward, her eyes already assuming the worst.

"And?"

Tsunade shook her head from side to side, closing her eyes in shame.

"They were returned to the village, their heads on pikes."

The room fell under a deft stillness, everyone undoubtedly pondering the new potential threat.

Ōnoki was the first to break.

"Tsunade, I'm extremely sorry for your loss. However, if you're looking to us for help, I cannot be there for you. My country is already too busy with the last ninja war's damage. I of course, only speak for myself."

Tsunade's face filled with rage, completely astounded at the man's idiocy.

"My country is only the first to be targeted! Soon after mine falls, yours, or any of the other Kage's countries will be next! That is of course, if you allow it to happen."

The ever calm Terumī stood to her feet, one hand neatly folded into the other.

"You've made your point Tsunade. I'm sure you would not have brought this to our attention without having a solution in mind. Please, share your thoughts."

Tsunade smirked. _What a perfect segue to my next point._

"I've given this issue a lot of thought, and after further discussion with my aids, I believe we should temporarily create a new faction to specifically target this new opponent."

Ei was about to burst into another outrage, when Gaara raised his arm in front of him.

"Do elaborate on this plan of yours, Tsunade. I will only give you my opinion once I have heard the whole story."

Tsunade then proceeded to launch into her plan.

"Each of you will choose 2 of your strongest ninja to come live in Konoha for the duration of the mission. We will erect separate quarters for them, and give them full control of capturing this group. Teamwork will be essential if they are to succeed alive, hence the living situation."

Another cold silence fell upon the room, the Kages not sure whether she was joking or not. Was she seriously asking them to give up some of their best fighters? How would they know if they were being treated justly?

Ōnoki cleared his throat, all eyes falling upon him.

"Tsunade, I know you have good intentions, but I'm not entirely sure of this. I feel as if there is no guarantee for our ninjas. Plus, to leave their village for an undefined amount of time is quite the commitment. I'm not sure if I can knowingly ask one of my soldiers to make that choice."

Tsunade slammed her palm on the table, commanding the attention of the room.

"Ōnoki, any ninja should know that it is an honour to serve and defend this land! If they aren't able to make the choice, we don't need them!"

Insulted by her lack of respect, Ōnoki lunged across the table to reach Tsunade. However, Ei caught him by the arm mid air, and using his forward momentum, swung him into the nearest wall. Ōnoki's aids caught the elder before he crashed into the wall, cushioning his impact.

"My apologies Ōnoki, but the Ninja Alliance is still intact. I would hate for it to be ruined over a simple squabble."

Ōnoki rose from the ground, patting the dust off his jacket.

"I accept your apology Ei, but don't let it happen again."

Tsunade used this opportunity to grab control of the room again, her patience wearing thin.

"Besides, I only suggested Konoha because we were the first to receive the threat. In my mind, it seems they have a personal vendetta against us, since our ninjas made the biggest impact in the last war."

The Kages could not dispute her statement. After all, Naruto and Sasuke were the only reason why they were even alive now.

Ōnoki stood tall on his feet, doubt spreading across his face.

"How do we know that you won't betray us with our own soldiers?"

Before Tsunade could answer, Ei stepped in between the 2 conflicting personalities.

"I have a suggestion."

Before any could even question him, he formed several hand seals that were foreign to any of the other Kages. Soon after, a scroll laced with his chakra appeared in the centre of the table.

"This is a blood contract that uses my chakra threads to wrap the individual's heart. If by any chance, she decides to betray us, the chakra threads will immediately sense the breach of contract, and will constrict around the organ til it bursts, resulting in death. This may be slightly on the extreme side, but I do believe this is the surest way to stay loyal to one another. Of course, not only Tsunade has to sign this, but we all do. The potential of betrayal is there within all of us."

Terumī leaned closer to the scroll, further examining its contents.

"I've heard that the Nidaime Raikage developed this ninjitsu when one of his closest companions betrayed confidential information to a threatening village. It's my first time seeing it in person though."

Tsunade grimaced. _How could the idea of betrayal even come up now, after everything we've been through? If this is all it takes though..._

She bit down hard on her right thumb, allowing blood to spill from the newly opened wound.

"Shall we do this? Or are there other ideas to be put on the table?"

For the third time that morning, the room fell into silence. The air around them grew tense, as they balanced both the gains and the consequences of implementing this program.

"I'm for it."

Eyes turned to Gaara, his thumb already bleeding from a bite he made beforehand.

"I agree with Tsunade. We need a specific faction that can target such a formidable enemy. Besides, this will also strengthen the Ninja Alliance, ensuring no treachery occurs. Yes, there are potential costs that come with this, but there is no reward that comes without risk. I, the Kazekage of Sunagakure, am for the introduction of the new faction."

Terumī moved next to Gaara, gently pressing her kunai against her thumb until red liquid seeped out.

"The Mizukage of Kirigakure is for the introduction of the new faction."

Ei bit down on his thumb firmly, blood gushing out of the wound like a strong current.

"The Raikage of Kumogakure is for the introduction of the new faction."

All eyes were centred on Ōnoki, knowing that his answer could make or break the proposition.

After what seemed an eternity, Ōnoki let a sigh escape his lips, and approached Tsunade with an outstretched hand and a kunai.

"The Tsuchikage of Iwagakure is for the introduction of the new faction."

With a cheeky smirk, Tsunade grasped Ōnoki's hand, and gingerly made a slit in his thumb.

As all of their blood dripped onto the parchment, the characters started to glow an iridescent blue, showing that the contract had been made and was now active. Though no one showed any sign of change, the new weight of the chakra strands could not go unnoticed by any individual.

Tsunade shook off the feeling, knowing that this would only be a temporary agreement.

"Great! The Kibō Nin will be in effect as of next month!"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A quick thanks to my beta readers; Veltrops, Unify, trustthefish (found on archiveofourown), and Susurruses. Don't know what I'd do without them! 3 3**

Chapter 1 - The Meeting

The wind blew forcefully against the trees of Konoha, the leaves rustling furiously against each other. Kakashi let his silver mop that he called hair blow along with it, knowing that it would defy all laws of gravity, and stand vertically once again. This was his favourite place to relax when he wasn't off on an S-Class mission. The tree was close enough to Hokage Tower that he could still be in Ino's telepathic radius, but far enough that he could get some peace and quiet.

However, that's not the reason he was here this time. He used to come there to view the beauty of his village, but now he used it as a hiding spot. The whole place was chaotic as everybody worked hard to repair the damage of the last war. Men were handling the reconstruction of the village, while women were in charge of the food and children. Both sides were stressed; there was barely enough food to eat comfortably, let alone fuel the repair effort. Medic ninjas like Sakura were busy at the hospitals, where those wounded in the war fought for their lives, whereas combat ninjas like Naruto were busy attending to pressing missions. Only a select few of the top Jonin were left on standby, ready to protect the Hokage in case enemies took advantage of the situation. Kakashi let out a deep sigh.

 _Even in times of strife, we still have to appear strong to the other villages. If we had channelled that energy into becoming more united instead, we may have been able to save more lives._

He hadn't touched his Icha Icha books in days, feeling that the timing was inappropriate. It was his only form of salvation at this point though. Being surrounded by this much tragedy only brought back bad memories for him, especially when he realised that his best friend was one of the main causes. Even if he did have a change of heart, it didn't change that he caused it all.

 _Though people can be forgiven, actions can't be undone. It's sad though, since you'll be forever condemned as a criminal._

He cracked open the book, flicking through the pages to find where he had last read.

 _At least I'll know your thoughts, Obito. Hopefully that is enough for you._

Kakashi was about to get lost in the world of Icha Icha, when Ino interrupted his thoughts.

"Kakashi, the Hokage wants all Jonin remaining in the village to patrol the outskirts of Konoha. There has recently been an increase in bandit activity, and I'm sure you know we are in no condition to withstand an attack at the moment. You are to take the north area of the village."

Shoving his beloved Icha Icha in his pouch, Kakashi immediately set out. He was always surprised at just how far the Genins of his generation had come. Ino had far surpassed her late father, being able to use her telepathic ability without another sensor in conjunction. Shikamaru had now become the main aid and advisor to the Hokage. Even Sakura, his personal Genin, was now teaching gifted students of the academy medical ninja skills.

A smile surfaced to his face as he entered the dense forest.

 _They won't pass me just yet though._

Pausing atop one of the many thick branches found in the wooded area, Kakashi summoned his ninja hounds. One great thing about having Ninken as your summons was that in patrol missions like these, you could just let them do the job for you.

Pakkun and friends appeared after the cloud of smoke dissipated. Struggling to rub the sleep from his eyes with his paw, Pakkun eyed up Kakashi.

"Another menial mission Kakashi? I can't believe you would disturb my rest for this. You should really move your own ass once in awhile."

Kakashi's eyes crinkled as he smiled at his extremely frank helper.

"Maybe someday Pakkun, but I won't have any excuses to give you a bone otherwise."

Pakkun snorted, always entertained by whatever excuse Kakashi came up with.

"Alright everyone, spread out. If you sense anything, howl out. We'll reconvene here in 30 minutes."

The other dogs nodded in agreement, and before you could blink, they disappeared.

 _God, they're efficient._

Settling down into a similar position to this morning, Icha Icha book included, he finally allowed himself to be absorbed into Jiraiya's fictional world.

 _With tears streaming down her face, Eri clung to Takashi's arm._

 _"Please, don't go! You'll get yourself killed!"_

 _Takashi wriggled his arm out of her grasp, pushing her away at an arm's length._

 _"Eri, don't make this any harder. It is a ninja's duty to aid the allies of our village."_

 _He slowly allowed her to come closer, tipping her chin upwards so their eyes could meet._

 _"I won't let you feel lonely. I'll give you something to remember me by."_

 _Eri blinked away the remaining tears, her eyes glowing with hope._

 _"Whatever it is, it had better be memorable."_

 _With Takashi chuckling under his breath, he slowly leaned in til their lips were only a hair's breadth aw-_

A loud howl interrupted his thoughts, a scowl appearing on his face.

 _I can't seem to have a moment's peace today._

Tucking the book back in his pouch yet again, he launched himself towards the howl. Pakkun soon joined him, along with the rest of his Ninken other than one.

"What's the situation, Pakkun?"

"Urushi has found a large pack of bandits, currently in pursuit of a woman. At least 10 males, possibly more.

"Ah, it's finally my time to be a knight in shining armour huh?"

"I wouldn't count on it. It looks like she's a Kunoichi from Kirigakure."

Kakashi's smile instantly turned into a frown. She was trespassing on Fire country's territory, and he had no knowledge of any expected visitors. She had better have a reason to be crossing the border, or this could turn out to be more of a hassle than expected.

The Ninken started to speed up, leading Kakashi to the intersection where the two groups would meet. It was essential that they reach before the other party, so to assess to situation accurately.

Pakkun stopped short of a large clearing, hiding in the bushes. Kakashi and the other Ninken abruptly stopped next to him, assuming a crouching position where he was hidden by the foliage.

"They should be approaching this area any minute, Kakashi. Be ready, we don't know what could happen.

Kakashi's only eye scanned the area, waiting for the group to pop out into the grass area. This would be the perfect place for a fight to ensue, and he had to be ready for the worst.

Attempting to conserve the remainder of his chakra, he dismissed the Ninken, and undid the jutsu. Before he could complete the release though, Pakkun laid his paw on top of his hand.

"Be careful Kakashi. Just because she's a women doesn't mean she's weak."

Kakashi chuckled under his breath, his eyes filled with sarcasm.

"Have you not met the Hokage? She's lethal when she's angry."

A small smirk dawned on Pakkun's face. They both knew exactly how deadly the 55 year old could be.

"Now that I've done my job, it's time you do yours. I'll be expecting my bone; same time, same place."

Kakashi winked in Pakkun's direction, and with that, the hound disappeared into thin air.

Getting back to the business of things, he inhaled and exhaled rhythmically, feeling the ground for any kind of movement.

 _A light thrumming. A total of 12 people, though one's steps are lighter than the rest. Definitely trained in combat._

He groaned.

 _This could be annoying._

And then, they appeared.


	3. Chapter 3

A petite female figure emerged from the trees, followed by a disorganised rush of men. Kakashi adjusted his position, leaning forward in anticipation. Ready to intervene at any time, he continued to observe the unidentified kunoichi.

As they approached the centre of the clearing, the woman suddenly launched herself into the air, somersaulting over the bandits. The group gasped in surprise at the sheer height she reached, but Kakashi knew differently.

 _Definitely moved the chakra to her feet. That's quite the effort though, considering the circumstances. It's hard to concentrate on manipulation with just one on one, let alone eleven to one._

Mid way through the somersault, she arched her back, meeting the eyes of her opponents. With not a single moment's hesitation, she flung a flurry of kunai in their direction, disrupting their haphazard formation in a steel rain.

With fair ease, the group dodged the oncoming knives in all directions, splitting up into smaller groups. Kakashi subconsciously nodded to himself, completely understanding her train of thought.

 _Attacking them individually is the best way to go in this situation. Efficient use of time and strength._

A smirk dawned on her face as she landed lightly on the ground. With cat-like reflexes, the kunoichi dipped into her sleeves again and hurled smoke bombs at their feet. With the explosion came smoke, and with the smog quickly spreading, the men fell into a panic as they lost sight of each other one by one. The kunoichi then ran head first into the smoke cloud, disappearing from Kakashi's sight.

He started to gather the chakra around his feet, pausing in complete and utter confusion.

 _Who is that girl? She's definitely Jounin level. Her manipulation of chakra is impressive among even the best Jounin of our village, possibly even at the standard of Sakura. I don't sense any malice from her though, so why didn't she just run away?_

As the smoke slowly dispersed, Kakashi could make out the faint outlines of individual silhouettes. His eyes widened, as he saw just 4 men still standing, along with the woman who was now surrounded by limp bodies.

 _Colour me impressed. That would've been an effort for any other kunoichi I know._

With just a look from their leader's eyes, 2 of his subordinates leapt out in front of him, drawing their tanto swords and readying themselves for a fierce fight. The kunoichi on the other hand simply stood in her spot, completely unmoving. Both parties were in a stalemate, eyes locked together and bodies still. It almost seemed as if the fight was merely being done in their own world, without any physical sparring.

That instance was short lived though. As if he couldn't take the mental battle any longer, one of the bandits started to run towards the girl, intending to cut her where she stood. Sensing the difference in capability though, the partner pursued his friend, hoping they could finish it before withstanding any more damage.

Fate however, was unkind to them.

The kunoichi did the hand seals of boar, dragon and bird, although it would have been a blur had Kakashi blinked. A loud cry escaped her lips as she completed her jutsu, proceeding to take a deep breath in afterwards.

"Suiton: Kosoku no Jutsu!"

With a fierce exhale, water surged out of her seal violently. The vast amount of liquid quickly swept the 2 bandits off their feet, capturing them in her water prisons. Despite all their attempts to escape from their imminent end, it was all for nought. They were trapped, and there wasn't a single thing they could do about it.

Waving her right hand in a clockwise motion, the water around their torsos started to gather towards their heads in a sphere, slowly drowning them once formed.

Kakashi was near ready to leap out and forcefully dispel the jutsu. The sight made him stiffen, his breaths becoming more shallow. He never did get used to seeing death happen before his eyes. Though this was a part of a ninja's duty, these were just ruffians. With proper guidance, they could be trained out of their wrongful ways.

It seemed the girl agreed with his way of thinking though, as she released the jutsu right before their demise. After confirming they were no longer conscious, she focused her attention on the last 2 thugs; the leader of the group, and what seemed to be his right hand man.

Without another glance, the last follower came out to face her. In no way, shape or form was he similar to the other disposable minions. His broad shoulders and large frame had him towering over the small woman, making her seem like a child compared to him. His scar that ran from his left eyebrow down to the right corner of his mouth was menacing, if not absolutely terrifying. The knuckle duster he placed on his hand was covered in blood stains, the sadness of his past victims singing from the weapon. His ragged attire looked like it had seen better days, sword slashes covering parts of the front, and the majority of the back. Still, here he was, alive and well it seemed.

Kakashi gulped in nervousness.

 _She may need my help this time._

The kunoichi however, remained calm. Instead, she beckoned the man to come at her, her right arm extended with her palm faced upwards.

"Come at me you disgusting oaf. I resent wasting my time on bottom feeders like you."

The taunts seemed to do the trick as his face filled with rage. Without a second thought, he launched into a sprint towards the women. Kakashi's face fell as he continued to observe their encounter.

 _He is definitely faster and stronger than the rest. I don't want to step in if I can help it, but it's not looking great._

As the man got closer to her, Kakashi slowly started to rise from his crouch, still making sure he was hidden by a nearby tree. However, it soon became clear intervention was unnecessary.

When the bandit was within her grasp, the kunoichi mustered chakra to her feet and vaulted over the giant, placing her hands artfully on his head. She pivoted on her hands, springing off his head and landing behind him. Before he could retaliate, she moved her chakra from her feet to her fingertips, and proceeded to stab the pressure points in his shoulders and knees.

A scream broke out from the bandit's lips, immobilised by the pain wracking through his body. Collapsing in a heap on the floor, the monster shook in anger as he tried to reach towards her, only creating more torture for himself. She simply kicked him aside, another howl filling the air as he writhed on the floor.

Kakashi sighed in relief as she started to walk calmly towards the leader, their eyes locked onto one anothers.

 _One left. Looks like I won't have to do anything after all._

The man slowly reached for his pouch, trying to grab hi.s own knuckle duster. The moment he moved though, the kunoichi dashed towards him at an unprecedented less than a second, she had him by the throat mid air, his legs barely grazing the grass. She wasn't interested in a flailing captive, and he wasn't interested in showing her his weak side. The kunoichi's eyes narrowed, bearing holes into her captive's head.

"Who are you, and who ordered you to capture me?"

Though the authoritative tone was enough to make any normal man cave, the bandit simply hung there, uninterested in answering her questions. Instead, he took a deep breath through his nose, a sneer spreading from ear to ear.

"You smell good, just like a flower field. You're exactly my type."

Her grip tightened around his neck, his veins slowly protruding more and more from his neck. Kakashi noted that if she didn't let go soon, the captive would soon be a corpse.

"I have no time for your games. You will tell me your plans, or I will cut you down right now."

Hysterical laughter burst out from the thug, slightly surprising both the kunoichi and Kakashi. His minions were single handedly taken out by her, and he was currently her prisoner. He was in no position to be laughing, so why was he doing that very thing?

"Let me tell you something sweetness. We are a group of renegades, with nothing tying us to this world. We are free men, and I am the leader of the people you call bandits. Now, as you small minded fools with even smaller brains have coined us with that term, it would be such a shame if we didn't meet your expectations, wouldn't it?"

The kunoichi remained still, though Kakashi could sense her chakra seeping out.

 _She's getting angry. That guy had better watch it, or he'll wind up a dead man._

He continued his speech with a certain overzealous element, though it only seemed to get worse.

"So here we are, travelling from nation to nation. At every opportunity we pillage and rob, and sell women and children to brothels and slavers."

An especially devious smile surfaced to his face, as he started to shake with

excitement.

"However, when we get a REALLY pretty girl... We don't do any of those things. Tell me sweetness, what do YOU think we do with them?"

A grimace appeared on her already annoyed face, as she mentally braced herself for what was to come.

"WE RAPE THEM! WE RAPE AND RAPE AND RAPE TIL THE SUN COMES UP, AND CONTINUE TO RAPE THEM TIL OUR HEART'S CONTENT!"

Her choke hold grew tighter, causing him to rasp slightly. She was only giving him the bare amount of air that he needed to live, but he continued nonetheless.

"That's not the best bit though. Oh no, the best is yet to come."

His purple tinged face yet again exploded with maniacal laughter.

"WE TEAR THEM APART! ONCE THEY'RE TIRED OF BEING DONE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WE RIP THEIR LIMBS OFF AND HEAR THEIR SCREAMS! FIRST THE ARMS, THEN THE LEGS, AND FINALLY, WHEN THEY HAVE NO ENERGY TO SHRIEK ANYMORE, THE HEAD GOES TOO! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I MISS THAT FEELING!"

His face leaned in closer to meet the kunoichi at eye level, only inches apart from each other. His raspy voice clearly showed that he was starting to struggle with breathing, yet he continued on.

"You were going to be perfect sweetness. Your soft milky arms, your tiny little body... I can already imagine ripping off your clothes and sticking myself in you. Your mortified screeches as I entered would have filled me with pure euphoria, and your warm untouched area would've been the cherry on top. It would've only amplified your screams that much more."

Her face went dark, only filled with pure rage and disgust at this pathetic excuse of a human being.

She curled her arm closer to her body, now mere breaths away from each other. Her words were dripping with anger, unhappy that she still had to share the same air with such a lowlife.

"It's too bad for you then, because your time is up."

She then flung him into the nearest tree with as much strength as she could muster. Just the impact was enough to cause the trunk to splinter, the man coughing up blood. Kakashi winced at the sight, knowing full well that one of his organs must have ruptured from the impact. He struggled to stand up, but his legs betrayed him as he buckled back to the floor from the lack of strength. The kunoichi simply stared at him, her face completely dead of emotion. She slowly pulled out a kunai, no doubt subliminally taunting the man with his unavoidable fate. Imparting enough chakra to the knife that it could go through concrete, her last words to him were laced with a sick pleasure.

"This conversation is over, and the only thing that awaits you is hell."

With those final words, she hurled the weapon straight towards his skull.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

"That's a bit much, don't you think?"

Catching the kunai inches before the bandit leader's face with his chakra infused hands, Kakashi offered a placid smile towards the kunoichi. Instinctively, she jumped away from him, trying to create distance between herself and Kakashi.

 _It's no use. Even if she can tell I'm stronger than those small fries she just faced, I already know her fighting style. If we battle, it will be her loss._

He threw the kunai back at her with equal speed, her reply being a swift catch and replacement of the weapon into her sleeves. She glowered at him angrily, seething at his mere presence.

"A ninja of Konohagakure? State your business, or it'll be your head."

A scoff escaped Kakashi's lips, raising an eyebrow towards the battle ready kunoichi.

"My head? You're the one who's in Fire Country territory. State your name and purpose, or I will force it out of you."

The air grew thick as the tension between the two rose. Neither were willing to back down, yet they couldn't take a step. The unknown was far too unsafe in these circumstances.

Sensing he wasn't the main event anymore, the bandit quickly made his escape. Even with significant internal injuries, he managed to move quickly, no doubt due to an adrenaline rush spurred on by the idea of survival. His departure did not go unnoticed by the kunoichi, but she had no choice except to watch him disappear. It would only be suicide to leave your back open to the unknown. Kakashi could see the woman was itching to pursue the ruffian, but they both knew if she moved one inch of her body, it would be the signal that the fight had begun.

Kakashi noticed a frown surface on her face as the bandit disappeared into the forest. His body stiffened at the sight, yet remained unwavering as a sarcastic laugh filled the air between them.

"I get it now. You work for that disgusting excuse of a human being, don't you? One of those rogue nin, with nowhere else to go. Not only have you abandoned your village, but you've abandoned your pride as well."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow again at her, only in confusion this time.

"Work for him? On the contrary, my comrades are in the midst of pursuing him as we speak."

Before she could retort, a pained cry filled the air, filling both ninja's heads with curiosity. However, neither moved to investigate what the noise was, their unmoving eyes a testament to their determination. Moments later, Kakashi's companion Genma appeared in the clearing, a familiar thug who was now unconscious slung over his right shoulder. His typical deadpan voice interrupted Kakashi's thoughts.

"Kakashi, do you need help?"

Only a shake of his head was given, never letting his eyes leave the problem woman. Genma had known Kakashi long enough to know not to disturb him when he entered this mode. Any unexpected movement, no matter the size, could set his killer instinct into motion. With his question resolved, Genma disappeared towards Konoha.

Assuming that the original stalemate would continue, Kakashi intensified his focus even more. Who knew how long they'd be here for, be it a mere moment, or days on end. No matter what she threw at him, he would be ready. To his surprise though, the kunoichi broke the staring contest, preparing to leave the area.

 _Trying to slip away? Maybe with someone else, but not me._

"Wait."

She stopped in her tracks, turning towards him with a new look in her eye. Kakashi was slightly shocked at the dramatic change, going from a fiery encounter, to the soulless pupils looking at him.

"I have no business with you, 'Copy Cat Ninja' Hatake Kakashi."

His breath hitched in his throat as he heard his infamous nickname. He was used to it being sneered at him, but something about her emotionless tone made him feel uneasy.

"You still have yet to state your name and purpose."

"My name is of no importance to you, and my purpose in Fire Country is not of your business."

Her listless tone was making him agitated. Had she no feelings, no emotion? Who is this woman, who was unknown to him his whole life, yet he couldn't help but be captivated with her in the moment?

"Wait a min-"

Before he could finish his sentence, she was gone. Her undetectable presence in combination with her chakra manipulation rendered him off guard, leaving him behind in awe. He was just about to summon his Ninken to track her, when Ino interrupted his thoughts for the second time that day.

"Kakashi, good job on capturing the leader. Genma has already arrived with the prisoner in hand, so please make your way back to the village and report to the Hokage."

For a moment, he mentally deliberated whether to obey orders as usual, or follow his instincts and chase after the woman. However, the Hokage was an easily irritable person, and she wasn't the kind of woman who liked to be kept waiting. Reluctantly, he started leaping towards the direction of Konoha, still curious about his mysterious encounter.

When Hokage Tower was just a couple of streets away, he slowed his pace down to a stroll. He allowed his mind to be taken over by thoughts of the kunoichi.

 _The plate was definitely of the Hidden Mist Village, but her clothing looked of other origins. All Jonin are required to wear their village's uniform outside of their country, yet she did not._ _Could it be she's not a Jonin? Hm... a Chunin maybe?_ _No, it's not possible. To develop that level of chakra manipulation and combat skill would take years of training, and even more years of experience. The coldness as well... There was near to no light in her eyes. She must have seen death from a young age._

Completely lost in thought, he was already nearing the main entrance of the tower. Had not a familiar shuriken come spinning violently towards him, he may have missed the building completely.

Out of pure muscle memory, Kakashi slipped his hand into his pouch, and swiftly lifted a kunai to deflect the shuriken. Kakashi sighed deeply as the tiny piece of metal clinked harmlessly to the ground, knowing exactly who would be stupid enough to openly throw a weapon at him in front of the prestigious location.

"Gai, not today please. I'm not in the mood, and this is getting boring."

Maito Gai leapt from the rooftop that he laid hidden in, flashing his giant toothy smile in Kakashi's direction.

"Kakashi! As your rival, I am shocked by your reaction!"

Genuinely perplexed, Kakashi looked at Gai with astonishment.

"Really? I say this almost every time we have one of these showdowns."

Gai puffed his chest out even more, too stubborn to give in to Kakashi's laissez-faire attitude.

"Nonsense! We are in the prime of our youth, we should be enthusiastic about every aspect of life!"

Kakashi simply rolled his eyes and walked past him, uninterested in entertaining his games today.

"Whatever, our contest will have to wait til tomorrow. I have a meeting with the Hokage now, no doubt about the unusual capture of the bandit leader today."

This time it was Gai's turn to look perplexed.

"On the contrary, it can't possibly be about that."

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

"Because I have been summoned as well!"

Kakashi merely blinked a couple of times in surprise, then nodded towards the direction of their destination.

 _We must be getting sent on a mission then, if both Gai and I have been summoned._

It wasn't a surprise that multiple Jonin would go on missions together, even if he hadn't been on one in awhile. It just meant that they were running out of combat forces, and she had to delve into her private aides for help. It was sad, but it was the truth.

 _At least I can give my legs a decent stretch._

"Let's go then, you know better than to keep her waiting."

Gai beamed with satisfaction, readying himself to burst into a sprint.

"Shall this be our competition today then?! Let us see who can reach her office first!"

Kakashi couldn't help but let out a smile. Even in his darkest days, it was Gai's unbreakable positivity that laid his worries to rest.

"Looks like it will be 60 - 59, Gai."

With those last words, they both disappeared into Hokage Tower, increasing their sprint speed with each step. There was not a shred of doubt in Kakashi's mind that they were using their chakra manipulation skills and ninja tools irresponsibly, but he didn't care. Sometimes, you just had to let loose.


	5. Chapter 5

They arrived simultaneously at the doorstep of the Hokage's office, beads of sweat hanging from their faces.

 _This is why we usually enter from the window instead. It is just way too tiresome to climb all these stairs._

"Looks like it's 60 - 60, Kakashi!"

With his hands on his hips, Gai's smile made it seem as if he were glowing, his whole body radiating with happiness. Kakashi's onyx eye peeked out from under his slightly dishevelled hair, a grin surfacing to his face.

"Clearly my foot landed on the floor 0.36 seconds before yours, Gai."

"Nonsense! Your foot, if anything, landed 0.23 seconds after mine!"

Kakashi ran a hand through his silver mop, making it stand straight once again. Most of the perspiration had dried up, so he simply wiped off the remnants with his sleeve. He couldn't care less who had actually won, but he didn't want to be explicit about his feelings. Instead, he opted for changing the subject.

"Clean yourself up, we're about to present ourself to the Hokage."

Gai straightened up his posture rigidly, pressing his palms down the sides of his hair to achieve the perfect bowl cut, and knocked on the timber door three times. The familiar voice of Tsunade pierced through the walls, subconsciously making the two men stiffen.

"You may enter."

With those words, Kakashi grasped the doorknob tightly and let the two of them enter the intimidating room.

"So these are the Konoha scrubs huh?"

The two Jonins turned towards the direction of the foreign voice, shocked by the frank slander obviously meant for them. Their eyes landed on a row of ninja from different Hidden Villages, standing parallel to the door they entered from. Directly opposite them was the Hokage's desk, where they saw Tsunade rise from her chair, her arms crossed against her ample breasts. Her commanding voice made the mood in the room heavy, unsure of what to expect.

"You will hold your tongue, Jonin of Iwagakure. You have been chosen by your Tsuchikage to represent your country, so do not forget you hold new responsibilities that didn't exist before."

Biting his lip, the resentful man fell back into line with the other unknown ninjas. Tsunade turned to Kakashi and Gai, her eyes fierce with determination.

"Hatake Kakashi, Might Gai. A new threat claiming to be the second generation of Akatsuki have surfaced and made themselves apparent to us. You have been selected by myself and the Konoha Council to represent Konohagakure in the new faction the Kages have deemed the 'Kibo Nin'."

Kakashi's eyes widened at her words.

 _A new threat? Akatsuki? Impossible._

His thoughts travelled back to this morning's scenery of the Konoha citizens, cringing at the idea of it getting any worse.

"Fall in line with your new comrades, and I'll begin the brief."

Gai walked rigidly to stand next to the irritated Iwagakure ninja, Kakashi casually following him. He knew that any decent ninja would use this opportunity to size up their new comrades, and appearance was everything on first impressions.

 _If I've learned anything from past missions, it's to never appear weak._

Tsunade sat back down in her chair, leaning forward so that her elbows rested on the desk. Kakashi noticed that unlike her usual calm aura, her grim expression showed that this next mission would be unlike any other.

"As you have been informed by your respective leaders, a new enemy has surfaced. They call themselves Akatsuki, but after having the Kazekage confirm that all the original Akatsuki have fallen, we believe they may be apprentices carrying on the wishes of their masters. Either way, the war has put our countries in a dire situation, one that we can't handle unless we work together. On that note, we have collectively decided to create a new group to specifically target these new enemies. The last war showed that our biggest weakness was the lack of cohesion amongst the countries, so we hope that this new team will show everyone just what a united front can do."

The air in the room grew heavy with tension. The Jonin felt an immense amount of pressure from her words. The fate of the world as they knew it was on their shoulders; their loved ones, their people, their comrades… all were relying on them. Memories of Rin and Obito flashed across Kakashi's mind, his body slightly shuddering at the thought.

 _Not again. I will not lose another important person again._

Tsunade's stern facial expression softened into a smile. It was a rare expression for one of the great Sannin to hold, one Kakashi had definitely not seen in the time he's known her.

"Relax. All of you have been individually selected by your Kages, which shows they think you are the most capable out of the ninjas in your countries. We believe that you all will be our best bet to true freedom."

The same Jonin that had attempted to defame Guy and Kakashi stood out from the line, making the two Konoha ninja's breath hitch in their throats. If there was one person you didn't want to interrupt, it was Tsunade.

 _Don't be spiteful, you'll only regret it._

"You say that only the best of the best can make it to this team, yet where are the people who are the reason we're alive today, Naruto and Sasuke?"

A dead silence fell upon the room. Tsunade's smile instantly turned into a grimace, veins bulging out from the temples of her forehead. Kakashi could already tell that this mistake would cost him his dignity at the very least.

"You will be careful, Jonin of Iwagakure. I am the Hokage of Konoha, and you will treat me with respect. Or shall I send you back to your village with your head hung in shame, before the mission has even started? I'm sure the Tsuchikage would be disappointed in you; this is Onoki we're talking about. His expectations are always reaching new heights, especially of his soldiers."

The ninja flinched at the amount of chakra she was emanating, but remained standing. Kakashi could only admire his bravery at this point. The weight of her power was truly immense, yet the man's pride was the only thing keeping him standing against her. He knew it wouldn't last though, it just depended on who would give way first; Tsunade, or the ninja. After what felt like hours, Tsunade withdrew her chakra, causing the ninja to subconsciously relax under the new environment. Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief on behalf of him.

 _What a guy, to withstand that amount of pressure. He's at least earned some respect from Tsunade._

With her anger barely under control, she reluctantly answered his question.

"The last war has made irreversible effects to my body, making it weak and brittle. Hence, Naruto is currently training to become my successor. As for Sasuke, he is currently on a 'self discovery' trip as you would call it. I would call him back if I could, but I think we all know that he's not the kind to take orders. Would it be alright if I continue with the details now?"

Feeling disgruntled, the Jonin stepped back into line beside Guy, his teeth gritting in defeat.

"I would like to emphasise that this situation is only temporary. Once these people have been caught, you will all return to your respective countries. To accommodate these unique circumstances, we have built a set of chambers for everyone on the outskirts of Konoha. There you will reside, where you will familiarise yourselves as a team, as well as develop combat compatibility. Is that clear?"

Kakashi straightened up his back in unison with the rest of the people in the room. Tsunade's words were straightforward, yet inspiring. The idea of having the world he knows in his hands was intimidating, yet oddly comforting.

 _At least if I die, it'll be for noble causes._

Gai's hand shot up to the sky, causing all attention to fall on him.

"Hokage, your words are truly full of wisdom and encouragement. I've never felt this amount of clarity in my thoughts before, and I am truly proud that you have selected me to be a part of this exclusive group. However, I do notice that there are 2 ninjas from each village, yet I only count 9 of us. If my math is correct, there should be 10. I assume the Kages wouldn't make such mistakes, so where is our 10th member?"

A hand timidly rose upwards as Gai finished his sentence. Kakashi peeked down the line curiously, only to see a small mousy girl shaking where she stood. A small squeak came out from her mouth, only making the man even more confused as to why she was here.

"Hokage-sama, if you would permit me to answer on your behalf."

Tsunade eyed the girl up and down, no doubt in the same mental state as Kakashi.

"Go on."

The girl pushed her hair aside, revealing a slightly gaunt face. The amber eyes struck Kakashi as strangely familiar, but he ignored the feeling. His chance to size up his new teammate had arrived, and he wasn't going to miss it.

"The Jonin that is missing hails from my country, Kirigakure. As we were making our way here, we bumped into…. unforeseen circumstances. She advised me to go ahead to notify you that she will arrive at a later time."

Tsunade was about to question her cryptic wording, when an unknown voice sounded from outside the door.

"Excuse me for my tardiness Hokage-sama, but the issue has now been resolved. I have heard the new situation from the outside, so would you please allow me to join my new comrades?"

Kakashi's ears perked at the familiar voice, his mind making the connection.

 _I've heard this woman's voice before, and only just recently. Could it be though? Would life really be that coincidental?_

He waited in suspense, eyes locked on the door that obscured the voice's identity.

Tsunade simply leaned back into her chair, already tired from the briefing.

"You may."

With her permission, the door flung open forcefully, slightly shocking the girl closest to the entrance. Kakashi had to mentally hold himself back from smiling, instead his eyes crinkling at the edges. The sight of the girl he had seen just hours beforehand had finally given him the chance to ask all his unanswered questions.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: A dear friend of mine actually went to the trouble of drawing the female protagonist for me. Should I put it up, or leave it to your own imagination? Let me know, and enjoy the chapter.**

Chapter 6

The air was thick with tension, as if a miasma of despair had filled the area. Gai and the Iwagakure ninja's eyes were locked onto each others, baiting one another to make the first move. Kakashi stood at the ready to interfere at any time, knowing his partner's full capabilities. One mistake that most new people made with Gai was that despite his happy-go-lucky appearance, he could be just as lethal as Kakashi if need be. Those reasons are what made him one of the dark horses of Konoha.

A familiar Sunagakure kunoichi stepped in between the two, pushing the palms of her hands against their chests to create some distance. Kakashi's eyes widened when he identified the individual.

 _Temari! How did I not see her before?_

Kakashi took this opportunity to finally have a look at his new comrades, and he was surprised at how many familiar faces there were. Just from the people selected, he could tell the Kages were pulling no punches in choosing their strongest ninjas.

 _Darui! Shouldn't he be aiding the Raikage? Kankuro as well, who will assist Gaara?_

Temari turned to the short tempered man, the calm expression on her face portraying no fear.

"I think it would be best if we worked in a team. The Hokage herself said that teamwork was the biggest problem in the last Ninja War. We should make an effort to not repeat past mistakes."

Gripping her hand with enough force to bruise it, the Jonin flung the appendage off of his chest.

"Hey brat, lemme tell you something real good. The biggest reason why all our countries were on the verge of destruction was not due to a lack of unity, but because of bad resource management! We Iwagakure ninja should've been on the front lines, but where did I find us? Summoning stone walls to protect you wimps! If the Hokage had put us on the front lines, our current situation would be very different."

Temari was about to retort in disgust, when a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. She looked behind her, only to see Kakashi's crinkled eye smile.

"Kakashi-san, I don't need your help. I am more than capable of convincing this trash what we need to do."

Kakashi simply remained smiling, gently pushing her aside so he could step in.

"Before we get ahead of ourselves, who else thinks we should work alone instead of together? Darui?"

The shaggy white haired Kumogakure ninja stepped forward, his posture sloppy and disorganised. His loose fitting uniform seemed to swallow him whole, the pant legs dragging in the dirt.

"A team would be the fastest and most efficient way. I would hate to accidentally kill any of you guys while I'm executing my own strategies against Akatsuki. My partner, Akira agrees with me as well."

Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement of his stance on the matter. He then turned towards the petite kunoichi he'd been thinking about for the majority of his morning and afternoon.

"What do you think?"

She gave him a vague glance, though her body remained uncommunicative.

"I think we are all skilled enough to stay out of each other's way."

Kakashi was about to give up hope on having a full team, when he noticed the timid girl with an uneasy expression. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he turned to the mystery girl yet again.

"I feel your partner doesn't agree. Perhaps you want to consult her?"

Surprising to Kakashi, the girl's stone facade broke, a look of concern coming through her eyes. This was the first time she had let on any emotion, and it did not go unnoticed by Kakashi.

 _Wow, so she does have expressions other than one of disinterest._

Ignoring the stoic woman, Kakashi turned towards the mousy girl with gentle eyes.

"Well? What do you think, erm…"

"T-t-the name is Naru, Kakashi-san."

"No need for the san, I prefer just Kakashi."

Kakashi could see that their small interaction was making the other girl irritated, so he promptly decided to wrap it up.

"Naru, I know your partner thinks that you two should work alone, but what do you want? If you decide to join us as a team, I can promise you I and everyone else on the team will support and protect you in place of your teammate."

Doubt flashed across her eyes, not sure whether she should go with her comrade or these foreigners she didn't even know. Kakashi wasn't sure if the shy girl would be able to abandon the only thing link that was familiar to her. After her eyes recovered from the initial shock though, he could tell from the new look in her eyes the conviction she held. She was scared, but she was strong.

"I…. think we should work together."

A shocked gasp escaped her partner's lips, whirling towards her partner.

"Naru!"

"Reina, I think we should! Mizukage-sama said we could learn from these people, and I think ten heads are better than two! These are dangerous people, I don't want either of us to get hurt!"

Kakashi couldn't help but let out a small grin. He had finally learnt her name.

 _Reina… I can finally put a name to your face._

Naru's pleading face rendered Reina speechless, unsure of what to do. After a short

pause, a deep sigh of exasperation left her lips.

"Naru and I will join the team, Kakashi."

"You're more than welcome to work by yourself if you really feel uncomfortable, Reina-san."

"I never said I wouldn't join your team. I merely stated both methods would most likely achieve the same result."

Satisfied with the outcome, Kakashi turned back towards the original instigator.

"We will not stop you if you decide to work by yourself. Just remember that by leaving us, you will be betraying not just your Tsuchikage, but your whole country. They can only depend on you now, to lead them to a new life. A better life."

The ninja simply stood still, unsure of what to do in this situation. His partner stepped beside him, lounging her fingers atop his shoulders. The sudden touch shocked him, as if electricity was just shot through his body.

"Setsuna!"

The poised woman tightened her grip, humbling him down to a mere soldier than the fighter he thought he was.

"Daichi, enough. You have brought shame upon our country with your repeated fits. You're lucky that I haven't reported you to the Tsuchikage. Apologise, or I won't hold back anymore."

Looking around, Daichi only saw foreign faces giving him looks of pity. Before he could retaliate, the most unexpected person came to his aid.

"Setsuna-san, please don't be so harsh on him! We all have our own ways of protecting our people, and I am frankly in awe of his patriotism. Perhaps if the Hokage had given the Iwagakure ninjas more of an offensive role, things would be different right now. At the end of the day though, I can tell his heart and intentions are in the right place. It's hard to find someone so expressive and strong willed about his own convictions, so I beg of you. Don't send back a strong ally just because of his unusual nuances!"

Gai being as dramatic as he is, he fell on his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground, meeting the edge of Setsuna's feet on the way. Daichi wasn't used to someone actually encouraging him to be himself. Though he refused to let it on, he was actually quite touched by Gai's actions, making him have feelings he hadn't felt in a long time. Normally he didn't feel a need to work with people, but…. maybe this time would be different.

Daichi went down on one knee, his arms extended to lift Gai's head from the floor. If anything, he should be the one kneeling, begging for forgiveness.

"Get up, you shouldn't be the one doing this. Let's just forget this ever happened."

He stood up from the floor, bowing to Temari.

"Just because you are younger, doesn't mean I should dismiss your words so off handedly. My bad."

Temari grinned cheekily, grabbing his bicep and wrenching him up until he stood straight.

"All is forgiven and forgotten. My apologies for not giving you the respect you deserve as well."

Kakashi didn't want to interfere with the heart-warming scene, scared that it was all a dream. To verify it wasn't, Gai's joyful voice filled the air once more.

"Now that that's over, let us really cement our camaraderie! Drop off your things in the bedrooms and rest. We will meet in the common room at dusk! See you then!

Before anyone could reply, Gai dashed off towards the apartments. Kakashi had no doubt in his mind that Gai was embarrassed by his actions and words, but they were more than necessary. By that whole scene, he had successfully defused the situation, and made it quite comfortable. He turned to his new teammates, His previously guarded stance turn into one of welcome.

"Sorry, he's just like that. You'll get used to his behaviour with time, but I don't think his plan is a bad one. Shall we go?"

With no words needed, they all walked onwards towards their new but temporary home.


	7. Chapter 7

Kakashi collapsed into his bed, allowing his body to sink into the soft mattress. There was no doubt in his mind that everyone else was doing something similar, if not the same activity he was. Rest was needed after their eventful day, they deserved it.

From where he was, Kakashi took in the the layout of the room. Directly opposite from the door was the bunk bed he was now lying on. To the left of the entranceway was a small wooden closet with mirrors plastered on the front, and on the wall perpendicular to the entrance was the bathroom. It was a very simple and bare room, but all that was necessary for the situation.

The running water from Gai's shower could be heard clearly despite the wall that divided the two rooms. He exhaled a deep sigh, his muscles relaxing in time with his breath.

 _The walls are thin here, we'd better be careful of what we say._

As he drew the curtains on his bunk bed, Kakashi let down his mask. Despite him feeling comfortable with the mask on, he could only truly relax when it was removed. Whether it was the unobstructed breathing or some placebo effect, he didn't care. It allowed him to think, and he would need to savour these times since they were going to be rarer to have now.

 _This will be the first time I've lived with anyone since dad died… I wonder if I still even know how to do it._

Closing his eyes, Kakashi let his thoughts drift to the day's events. He'd seen and done a lot of things in life, but this was definitely a first for him. Teaming up with people he'd never met before, and trying to prevent the world from being destroyed? Unheard of.

 _Tsunade was not kidding about who would be in this team… Darui is meant to be the next Raikage, whereas Gaara has forsaken both of his aides, Temari and Kankuro. I've never seen the ones from Iwagakure, but that girl from Kirigakure is definitely a highly skilled kunoichi._

The thought of Reina made Kakashi irritated. Turning to his side, he succumbed to temptation and allowed her to take over his mind once again.

 _That girl… the coldness of her eyes and voice are reminiscent of Sasuke's. She had no hesitation when trying to kill that bandit before, something most kunoichi struggle with. I would understand if that was a trained ninja, but this was just a thug. A crazed thug, but still practically defenceless._

The memory of the confrontation made Kakashi recall her emotionless expression when he stopped her from leaving. Her stance was relaxed but guarded, with her hair whipping in the wind. Her eyes were completely devoid of feeling, yet-

 _Yellow! When we made eye contact at the time, they were yellow! They were definitely brown when we met again at Hokage Tower… Could I have made a mistake?_

He was so perplexed by the issue. Could his memory actually be failing him? No, it's impossible. Even in times of high stress, he had always prided himself on his attention to detail.

 _It was definitely a topaz yellow-_

Kakashi shot upright in his bed, a revelation taking over his mind.

 _Her partner has yellow eyes as well. Naru, was it? Maybe I got them mixed up? No, it's impossible…. Is it?_

He lay back down thoughtfully, confused as to whether his memory was correct or not. His thoughts were making him restless, and he didn't like it.

 _I'll just check later when we all meet. If it's some kind of Genjutsu, there should be something indicating its false nature._

The sound of the bathroom door creaking open interrupted his train of thought. Contrary to a ninja's nature, Gai's steps were loud, but this was just one of the many reasons why he was so unique. His boisterous voice filled the room as he announced his disdain for Kakashi's choice of bed.

"Kakashi, how could you just take the bottom bunk without asking me?! Did you not think that I could possibly want that bunk!? Or maybe I can't sleep on the top bunk?! Come, let us have a match for the bottom bunk!"

Feigning sleep, Kakashi closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. He had no preference for top or bottom bunk, but he couldn't be bothered moving.

When Gai received no reply to his question, he reluctantly climbed up to the top bunk and fell asleep shortly after. His loud snores echoed off the walls, giving Kakashi no escape from the racket. It was almost as if it was a punishment for the lack of concern for his comrade on Kakashi's part.

Feeling like this was a sign from a higher power that he should stop dwelling on Reina, Kakashi allowed himself to enter a deep slumber. Soon enough, soft snores escaped his own lips as he drifted off to the dream world.

"Kakashi, it's time."

The disgruntled silver haired man's eyes flew open at the sound of Gai's words, his body sitting upright instantly. One thing Kakashi disliked about being a ninja was sleeping. He had been trained from youth to have his senses alert at all times, including when he was asleep. It was because of this training though, that no matter how much he slept, he never felt well rested. It was one of the prices he had to pay, and it was one that he was willing to forsake. For his loved ones. For Konoha.

Grunting in agreement, Kakashi pulled his curtains aside to reveal Gai fixing his bed head in the mirror.

"Gimme a sec."

Kakashi eased himself out of bed, heading straight to the wash basin in the bathroom. Running the cold water, he scrubbed his face vigorously so as to wash the sleep away. His instincts needed to be at their peak if he was going to discover anything about this new team…. And her.

Fixing his own bed head, Kakashi walked out only to see Gai pulling on his forest green latex jumpsuit. Kakashi's face instantly glowed with embarrassment, shielding his eyes from the view with his hand.

"GAI!"

Zipping his jumpsuit up, Gai finished dressing himself by donning his Jonin vest.

"Sorry Kakashi, I thought you would be longer. To make up for this, let me present a gift I prepared for you!"

Gai reached into the closet, only to have the door slammed shut. Kakashi glared at Gai, confused at whether he was playing the fool, or if he was just this much of an idiot.

"Gai…. If this gift is anything like Naruto's farewell notion, I'll have to pass on it."

Gai's jaw dropped to the ground, obviously shocked by Kakashi's fierce rejection. He almost felt bad about being so frank with him, until he saw a similar green uniform peeking out from under the closet door. There were no limits to Gai's eccentricities, despite his proficient ninja abilities.

Quick to change the subject, Kakashi opened the door to reveal an empty corridor.

"C'mon Gai, the others are waiting."

His emotions did a full 180, Gai raised his head to reveal a more hardened expression. The two men understood that although a couple of rooms down there was a group of people who would be their new comrades, the only people they could really trust were each other.

Kakashi startled Gai with a cheeky smirk, his hand angled towards the open doorway.

"After you, Gai."

Gai chuckled under his breath, amused by Kakashi's attempt at chivalry. Nevertheless, he strode past Kakashi with confidence, walking towards the common room with no fear. Shutting the door behind him, Kakashi followed suit to their destination.


	8. Chapter 8

Their soft footfalls were amplified by the cheap wooden floorboards as they made their way to the common room. Kakashi couldn't help but think that this building had been erected in a rush. The thin walls and hard floors met the bare minimum in terms of a living space, but he didn't mind. It was meant to be a temporary thing after all.

Arriving at the door, Gai grasped the doorknob so tightly that his knuckles went white. Kakashi, sensing something was amiss, spoke up.

"Gai? Shouldn't we be going in?"

The normally exuberant man instead had beads of sweat fall down his forehead, his teeth slightly biting his upper lip.

"Sorry, I'm just worried that we won't get along."

Kakashi looked at Gai sternly, unimpressed by his immature thoughts.

"Gai, this isn't a game. We don't need to get along. We just need to be able to work together."

Though Gai understood Kakashi's words, it didn't change the fact that he was unhappy with it. It was just the kind of person he was; a boisterous and cheerful man that would do anything for his village. Kakashi was happy with that too. If there needed to be a bad guy out of the two, he would prefer it to be him. He was a natural pessimist after all.

With no more words that needed to be exchanged, Gai opened the door to see their new team.

"You're late."

Kakashi peeked over Gai's shoulder to see Setsuna sitting on a sofa with Daichi and Darui. She was obviously unimpressed by their tardiness, judging from her arms and legs folded over one another. Daichi wrapped his arm around Setsuna's shoulders, trying to mediate the situation.

"C'mon Setsuna, the infamous Copy Cat ninja isn't just famous for his prowess."

No reply was given from the kunoichi, who merely closed her eyes in agreement. Kakashi was surprised that such a fierce woman could stand the lingering touch of someone, but perhaps she just simply couldn't be bothered. Taking this opportunity, Kakashi scanned the room. Just like his, it only had the bare essentials. A single table lay in the middle with some parchment and brushes, no doubt for future strategy meetings. Surrounding the tables were three off-white sofas, empty of any kind of pillow or additional comfort.

Gai gingerly sat down on the rightmost sofa next to Naru, only giving Kakashi the option of the floor. The silver haired Jonin was about to ask Naru to make some space for him, when Darui interfered.

"Oi, that's enough. I dunno what is with you Iwagakure people, but you seem prone to picking fights."

His assertive gesture took Kakashi by surprise, making him subconsciously sit down to hear his words. Setsuna's russet eyes flipped open at the comment, obviously offended at the attack to her village.

"You may direct any ill comment to me Darui of Kumogakure, but you will NOT say anything about Iwagakure."

Darui was about to retaliate, when the man to his side thrust an arm between the two Jonin. Darui looked at the man, wondering if it was worth the effort to attempt restraining him, before he heaved a sigh and sank back into the couch.

"I get it, Akira. Withdraw your hand."

A nod was given by the shorter ninja, his arm dropping back to his side. Stillness filled the room again, tension crackling amongst each other. Kakashi was simply waiting for someone else to crack, hoping they would break the cold atmosphere. Then again, that's probably what everyone else was waiting for too.

 _Damn it, am I going to have to break the ice?_

"Why don't we introduce ourselves?"

All eyes fell upon the man who easily subdued Darui before, his boyish looks becoming more apparent to Kakashi than before. Ebony curls framed his pale face, with soft pink lips oozing innocence. It was almost hard to believe that he had stopped Darui in his tracks before. No ordinary ninja would be able to do that though, and the thought was not missed by Kakashi.

"None of us really know who we are, other than by reputation. Perhaps a good place to start would be there?"

Temari lifted one of her legs to the couch, leaning her arm on top of her knee arrogantly.

"I believe it is common courtesy for people to introduce themselves before asking the same of others."

Rather than the aggressive reaction that most of the ninjas had been giving, the boy simply smiled in acknowledgement of her comment.

"Good point, Temari-san. Well, as you heard before, my name is Akira, and I hail from Kumogakure along with Darui. Though I am an all rounder as I expect most of you are, I mostly specialise in Medicinal skills, and Genjutsu. Finally I'm 26, and love anything to do with tea ceremonies."

At the conclusion of Akira's introduction, Setsuna scoffed in a patronising manner. It wasn't a surprise to Kakashi, she seemed to have an opinion on everything.

"I feel like I'm back at the Academy again, watching people pick their noses and play house. What a mundane chore."

Kakashi stared at Akira intensely, wondering how the charming boy would be react to the insult. Unsurprisingly, he saw the Kumogakure ninja give what looked like his political smile to the kunoichi.

 _He's good. An asset for the future no doubt. His face is also deceiving. I would never have pegged him past 22._

"Setsuna-san, my apologies for my pedestrian approach to the matter. When we reach your turn, I will be fully attentive to how I should approach this kind of situation in the future."

Setsuna just rolled her eyes at the man, and Kakashi understood what she was going through. He went through the exact same thing with Sai when he was still under ANBU's command.

Darui took the still air as an opportunity to continue the introductions.

"Uh, my turn I guess. The name is Darui. Age is 26 also. I specialise in Kenjutsu and Ninjitsu. Something interesting about me… I don't have anything in particular, I just like to go with the flow."

Kakashi just stared blankly at the air in front of him, taking in the new information.

 _Heh, short and sweet. The only thing I would expect from the next Raikage._

Daichi swung his other arm around Darui, now having both his limbs occupied by people.

"Nice intro! 'Sup guys, I'm Daichi! I'm 28, and ready to mate! Hehe, see what I did there? ANYWAY, despite my previous demeanour before, I'm actually a really fun and chill guy. I am best at offensive ninjitsus, particularly Chikyu no Hansai. My special interest is anything to do with bathhouses!"

Kakashi couldn't catch the words that escaped his lips, regretting his lack of restraint soon after.

"Bathhouses?"

Daichi's eyes brightened up, eager to answer Kakashi's question.

"Oh yeah, everything about them is great! The wood, the steam, the aroma, the water…. I'm practically a connoisseur of them by now. Want to know anything?"

Kakashi was about to reply, when Setsuna interrupted with a stern voice.

"You guys can bond over your bathhouse fetish later, Daichi. I'll be concise about this. Name, Setsuna. Age, 28. I specialise in Medicinal Skills and Chikyu no Shoheki, and I don't have any special interests."

Despite Daichi's disappointed face, Setsuna didn't seem like she wanted or was going to explain anything further. Kakashi couldn't care less about the woman, considering her level of maturity so far.

The introductions went on, most of the information not being new to Kakashi. He had known Temari and Kankuro ever since they were Genin, and he had encountered Darui on numerous occasions when passing messages to the Raikage. They were both expected to become the next Kages for their respective villages, so naturally they knew enough about each other to get by.

His mind started to drift slowly in the middle of Temari's spiel, his eyes subconsciously flicking over to the ever calm Reina, simply sitting on the edge of the sofa beside Naru.

 _I wonder what she has to say._

It was just as the thought was made when Temari's introduction finished, and all eyes focused on the next person in the rotation; Reina. Her guarded position made it hard to approach her, her eyes clearly disinterested in the whole conversation. Daichi, being the brave one, took the first step forward.

"Reina, was it? It's your turn."

Silence was the only response given, making the air shift from relaxed to tense. Refusing to back down though, Daichi attempted to be friendly again.

"Reina?"

Finally acknowledging his attempts to converse, Reina shifted her position to face Daichi.

"You already know my name, isn't that enough? I feel as if all this other extra information is irrelevant and completely unnecessary."

This time it was Temari who stood up from her sofa, standing defiantly in front of Reina.

"Knowing one's strength and weaknesses is essential in strategising for future battles. We should optimise everyone's skills, so as to give us a greater chance of victory in the end."

In a calm manner, Reina also stood up from her couch, now eye to eye Temari.

"I will be able to accommodate to any of your needs, but I won't partake in this conversation any further."

Behind Kakashi's mask was a frown of disdain. He couldn't believe this.

 _This woman is incorrigible. She has no desire to co-operate as a team at all. Hell, she's as bad as Setsuna, if not worse._

From the corner of his eye, Kakashi noticed a slight nudge from Naru's elbow to Reina's side. The movement would've been completely indiscernible to everyone else, but the low angle Kakashi had been observing the group from made it easy to see the subtle jab between the two girls. Reina's pupils diverted for a mere second to Naru's face, before resuming its original uncaring state.

"Then again, I see no problem with it either. I will keep it brief though, as did Setsuna. Reina, 29, Suiton no Jutsu, reading."

Rather than obsessing over Reina's words like usual, he was much more interested in the two girls' behaviour now.

 _Naru seems to have some influence over Reina. The aloof mystery girl with great power, being manipulated by the small shy comrade? Shouldn't it be the other way around? It seems impossible, yet that's how it is._

Kakashi was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realise everyone was watching him. It took Gai a flick to the forehead to snap Kakashi out of his daydream, and return with a blank expression.

"Kakashi, I know how much you hate these kinds of stuffy formalities, but it's necessary! Were you even listening to the young lady speak? Did you know her name is Naru, and that she is 20 years old? How about the fact that she is a Medicinal skill major, or that she likes flowers?! Please, you should give everyone here the respect they deserve. They would no doubt do the same for you."

Blushing from Gai's annoyingly loud speech, he did not feel he had slighted anyone with how he had been presenting himself the whole meeting. He merely despised knowing the loudest and most embarrassing person in the room on a personal basis.

"Hey everyone. Despite Gai's accusations, I have been listening to each of you. I believe that we have a very well balanced team, and this will aid our inevitable victory. By the way, if you don't know me already, my name is Kakashi. I'm 31, I'm an all rounder as well as a Sharingan user, and I read Icha Icha books in my spare time. I feel as if I'm no stranger to most of you, but ask me anything if you're curious."

Just the words 'Icha Icha' caused a commotion in the room, Daichi bursting into laughter and Naru's cheeks turned from a pale ivory to a deep scarlet in a matter of seconds.

 _I guess everyone knows what kind of book it is._


	9. Chapter 9

Kakashi was amused at the sight of Daichi collapsed on the floor, seizing in fits of laughter. He wanted to wait till the 28 year old had calmed down a bit, but it didn't seem like it was going to happen anytime soon. Instead, he looked around to see the other's reactions. Some shocked, some embarrassed, but most didn't seem to care. Darui and Reina in particular didn't even flinch.

"I didn't think that the great Hatake Kakashi was interested in pornos."

Kakashi turned to see Daichi still chuckling a bit, but now sitting in an upright position and talking.

 _I can't believe he's only 3 years my junior. These Iwagakure nin are surprisingly lacking in maturity._

Exasperated, attempted to converse with Daichi.

"I prefer to think of it as mature erotica, but whatever works for you. I'll lend you one next time. Might expand your horizons."

A smirk dawned on Daichi's face, his slanted eyes staring into Kakashi's.

"I'll pass for now, there's only room for one pervert in this team."

Before Kakashi could expel another sigh, Gai intervened with a loud clap. All eyes flew to his sudden action, confused as to why he did it.

"ENOUGH! Whether it be in jest or not, this group seems to be very prone to verbal conflict! I can't stand this negative environment, and we're never going to get anywhere if we don't stop this now!"

Gai's outburst made Kakashi feel bad about how he'd been acting. Granted, it wasn't that different from his normal behaviour, but perhaps his playfulness had been getting the better of his judgement. He had just helped save the world, and now he's got to do it again so soon? His calm facade was breaking, and he knew it.

 _I have to get it together, for Gai. For Konoha._

Akira stood from his seat in one swift motion, and walked over to behind where Gai sat. Placing both hands on the green beast's shoulders, his tenor voice resounded with confidence, commanding all eyes to fall on him.

"Gai-san is right. Our naturally distrustful behaviour has to stop. It's getting in the way of our objective, making this mission longer than it needs to be. If you really want to get out of each other's faces quickly, learn to get along. The sooner the mission is completed, the sooner we can go back home to our countries. Clear?"

Slowly but surely, everyone nodded at the boyish man. His appearance made him easy to overlook, but that was precisely why he would be a strong asset for the future. People always become unguarded around innocent faces, especially ones who could turn on the charm like him.

"Now that the problem has been resolved, let's get down to the details. All good teams have a leader, and we are no exception. I for one, want to nominate Darui as the leader of our faction. He is the brother of the current Raikage, as well as the next one in line to receive the title. With more than enough qualifications, I feel he would be the best option."

Daichi lazily put his hand up in the air, not waiting for someone to acknowledge his request to speak.

"Not to be rude, but the guy's hobby is 'going with the flow'. I hardly think that our leader can be someone who just follows others. If you want a leader, I think Setsuna would be appropriate. She has a lot of experience in being a leader to other teams, and sometimes even aids the Tsuchikage in their defence forces."

Kankuro cleared his throat to gather the members' attention, straightening his lazy posture at the same time.

"I would also like to recommend someone, Temari in fact. Despite how humble her words are, she's been deemed one of our top strategists in Sunagakure. She's often asked for by the Kazekage to get a second opinion on how we should approach the situation. With her setting up our strategies for the missions, the possibility of failure is minute."

Daichi turned in Kankuro's direction, an expression of confusion spreading across his face.

"Top strategist? Aren't you like, 20? You haven't even seen life yet."

The puppeteer ignored Daichi's remark, unimpressed by his patronising tone. If there was one thing Kankuro disliked, it was wasting his time. Be it kids or immature adults, he had no patience for either. Instead, he turned towards Naru and Reina, neither of whom had said anything on the matter.

"Do the ninja from Kirigakure have nothing to say? Just pretty faces I suppose?"

The two kunoichi remained quiet, unsure of whether to really speak their minds. Kakashi would've given anything to know the workings of Reina's mind, but it was futile. Her hardened mask was almost impenetrable, only showing signs of vulnerability when Naru was involved. Taking advantage of the silence, Kakashi intervened with his own thoughts.

"I also think that Darui would be capable. Despite his lazy nature, he is truly reliable when it comes down to it. Otherwise he wouldn't be next in line to become the next Raikage."

This time it was Darui's turn to chuckle.

"If we're going based on that criteria, you're also more than capable of fulfilling this role, Kakashi. You're going to become the next Hokage without a doubt, and unlike me you have been managing teams. Granted they may be Genins, but you're definitely more experienced in optimising a large group's abilities in an efficient manner. I'm a loner, and I like to work alone. This is a new thing for me, and I'd rather not take charge. Not when there's so much at stake."

A slightly high but calm voice resounded within the room, surprising all the ninjas in the room at her participation.

"I second Hatake Kakashi to be the leader."

Reina sat as still as ever despite her shocking statement. If Kankuro hadn't said something in recognition of her words, he would've believed he was imagining things.

"Finally decided to contribute? I guess my question struck a chord with you after all."

A piercing glare was shot from Reina's eyes, one that was filled with enough malice to intimidate even the strongest of men. She allowed her aura to fill the room, casting a heavy weight atop of Kankuro's shoulders.

"Do not waste my time toymaker. I simply want neither a child, a passive woman, nor a blasé man to tell me what to do. In this case, it is the lesser of two evils… or in this case, four."

Kakashi let his head land in the palm of his hand, waiting for the inevitable verbal battle to ensue.

 _Boy, she does not hold out on her words._

As expected, Setsuna was the first to break.

"Passive? Pray tell, what made you cast this opinion on me? If anything, I've been told on numerous occasions to tone down my aggressive nature."

Reina finally broke her stare away from Kankuro in order to meet Setsuna's eyes, the young puppeteer's shoulders sagging with relief from the release of pressure. Just because he could handle it, doesn't mean he liked it.

"Though your personality is like that, your abilities as a ninja speaks the truth. Someone who specialises in defence ninjitsu and only helps with defence tactics is one who is not active and ready to be a leader. I refuse to have my life left in the hands of someone so unqualified."

As much as she wanted to retort to Reina's comments, Setsuna remained silent. Be it she was too hurt to respond or she simply didn't know what to say, the action itself was quite unusual. Daichi launched himself from the floor and grabbed Reina by the collar, filled with rage from her words. Instinctively both Kakashi and Naru whipped out their kunais, holding it flush against Daichi's neck.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HER LIKE THAT?! SHE HAS MORE THAN ENOUGH QUALITIES TO BE AN OUTSTANDING LEADER, YOU'RE JUST IGNORANT OF HER ABILITIES! APOLOGISE… or we'll take this outside."

A smug smile dawned upon Reina's face, her own kunai in hand. She signalled Naru to drop her weapon, implying Kakashi to do the same. She needed no one to defend her; she was more than capable.

"I'd be happy to take you on fool, but shall we ask the others what they think? I may not be the only one with that idea after all. Just the only one willing to put it into words."

Daichi turned around expecting to see faces of disagreement. Instead, he only saw eyes avoiding his own, unwilling to answer his plea. In desperation, he turned to Gai, the only one who seemed to understand his feelings.

"What do you think?"

Gai pursed his lips out of discomfort, unwilling to answer Daichi's prayers. When the silence continued on and Daichi's gaze was intensifying, he knew there was no escape.

"As much as I think Setsuna-san would be an appropriate leader… I do think that Kakashi has a much wider skill set that can give us different viewpoints of a situation. He is also much more experienced in managing a team compared to the rest of us. As a close friend and rival of his, I personally vouch for his abilities and think he is the best choice for us.

Daichi was about to react to Gai's reply, when Setsuna grabbed his arm from behind.

"Enough Daichi, let it go… let them sink if they want to, time will tell everything."

Unsatisfied with the result, Daichi begrudgingly released Reina from his grasp. The woman simply dusted off the parts where he touched, completely unphased by his behaviour. She then turned to Temari, awaiting a similar response to the one she received from Setsuna.

"Well? Anything to say?"

The blonde kunoichi appraised Reina from head to toe, trying to get a reading on her as a person. Kakashi understood the feeling, having experienced it himself. Seeing someone right in front of them yet not sensing anything at all... it was very unpleasant.

 _So I guess it's not just me that she has that effect on._

After a few moments, Temari stood up to meet eye to eye with Reina. It was uncommon to see two small women that had an immense amount of aura resonating from them. The two were strong, and everybody in the room could feel it.

"I'm fine with not being the leader, especially if it is to be Kakashi-san. I respect him as a fellow ninja, and trust my life with him. However, please do not use my age against me. I may be younger than all of you, but I have seen many things. Some you may not have even dreamed of."

Kakashi knew the instant she finished that she was talking about Gaara. Having to live with a Tailed Beast host was tiring, both mentally and physically. He had already found it tiring trying to contain Naruto as his Team Leader, let alone having to live with one. He cringed at the thought of a child having to see through the terrors a Tailed Beast could bring, and having to simply endure it without saying anything.

Reina stared into Temari's clear jade eyes, slightly surprised by her calm response. After a while, Reina slid back into the couch, her hands resting in her lap.

"My view can't be changed easily, but I suppose that's something that will come with time. Though you look like a child, you speak with the experience of someone much older."

Temari turned her back to her, walking towards the chair where she originally sat.

"You have no idea, Reina-san."


	10. Chapter 10

The rush of hot water gushed over Kakashi's face, dripping down his hardened body. He could feel the tension in his muscles release as a feeling of relief overwhelming him. Temari's ambiguous words had left the room under a deep silence, everyone wondering the meaning behind them. However, the exhaustion and tiredness of the day got the better of the group, resulting in Kakashi convening the meeting.

Finally alone, Kakashi allowed his thoughts to overtake his mind.

 _My own team... It's been awhile. Since the Team 7 days._

Kakashi ran his fingers through the ends of his wet hair as the memories of Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto ran through his head. Despite all the teams that he had been assigned to previously, they were the most memorable by far. It was pure joy merely to observe their growth not only as a team, but as individuals as well. Also, it helped that his team basically saved not only Konoha, but the world.

 _Who knew that the Sasuke obsessed Sakura would now be one of the most respected medical kunoichi in the land? Naruto as well... The biggest surprise. Class clown to the next Hokage. I don't think that anyone expected this outcome._

Kakashi stopped his shower before he could let his mind move to Sasuke. Despite his crimes being pardoned and him becoming a Leaf ninja again, it never reduced the amount of guilt Kakashi placed on himself. Was there more he could have done to save him from his own despair... The team's despair. It haunted him day and night, wondering what could have changed if he had tried harder to help him... What could have been. It was his duty as a leader, and he hadn't fulfilled it.

Finger-combing the silver locks into place, he slid his eyepatch over the Sharingan, and let his thoughts drift back to Reina; the woman shrouded in mystery.

 _I know what I saw in that field. Golden eyes. I don't know her purpose of concealing them yet though... Best to keep quiet and observe for now. If worse comes to worst, I will confront her about it later._

Kakashi knew that she posed an issue amongst the members. Her wish to be independent from the team was clear as crystal to the others, driving a gap in between her and everyone else, and making him unsure of how to bring everyone together.

 _This may be the difference between success and failure._

His hair and body now dry, he donned his innerwear and exited the bathroom, only to meet Gai standing a metre in front of him, a stopwatch in his hand.

"Kakashi you devil! You beat my shower time by 0.37 seconds! The score stands at 61 - 60 now, but not to worry! I will surely catch up in due time!"

A look between disbelief and disregard showed on Kakashi's face, not sure whether Gai could get any more oblivious than he already was. He banished the thought instantly from his mind though, afraid that karma would deliver his just desserts. Side stepping around Gai, Kakashi flopped onto the bed, mentally defeated.

"Sure Gai, whatever you say. By the way, the walls are pretty thin here. Best to keep it down."

Gai stood facing Kakashi triumphantly, his iconic toothy smile beaming brightly.

"Nonsense Kakashi! I have no secrets to hide from our Kirigakure and Sunagakure comrades!"

The last part caught Kakashi's attention.

 _Kirigakure? Reina and Naru?_

"Gai, what is the room layout?"

"Funny you should ask! Starting from the room nearest to the staircase, it goes as Kirigakure, ourselves, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Kakashi turned in his bed to face the wall.

Soon after, he heard the water running from the bathroom, leaving him to his own thoughts again.

 _2 floors, 6 rooms, and 5 sleeping chambers. It's probably for the best that Reina is next to us. Further hostility may develop if she rooms next to the other members._

Kakashi wanted to continue developing solutions to increase the synergy between his members. However, the softness of the mattress was becoming increasingly tempting. Sleep was becoming more and more attractive by the minute, and despite his attempts to stay awake, soft snores filled the air in minutes. 

_A cold and unforgiving mist surrounded Kakashi and Reina, the rest of the Kibo nin injured and unconscious. Reina had sustained a deep gash on her right arm, and Kakashi likewise on his left leg. The Mangekyo Sharingan had already been activated, and the after effects were taking a toll on his mind. He could sense the enemy was near, but the direction was indiscernible. Kakashi could feel his breath steadily growing heavier, the blood loss no doubt being the cause. He looked over to Reina, only to observe that she was in a similar state._

 _A soft rustle from behind reached Kakashi's ears, enabling him to make a last minute escape from the flurry of kunai. Exiting out of his roll, Kakashi looked up towards Reina... Only to see her impaled by a blood soiled sword from behind._


	11. Chapter 11

Kakashi's eyes shot open, balling up the covers of his bedding in tight fists. Beads of cold sweat dripped from his temples as his body remained in a petrified state. The likeness with the memory of Rin as he killed her…

 _Rin. Reina. Blood. So much._

Kakashi could feel his heart racing, his breath quickening at a similar pace. His chakra started to surge to inexplicable heights when Gai's loud snores jolted him back to reality. The familiar sound, unpleasant as it was, gave Kakashi enough time to reassess and confirm his surroundings.

 _Calm down, it was a dream. You're in the new dorm with Gai. It's morning. You are fine. You are safe._

The mentally exhausted man sat upright with a struggle, gripping the sides of his body firmly. His ragged breathing remained fast, forcing him to consciously make an effort to slow his breath.

 _Inhale. Exhale. Through the nose. Out the mouth._

His breathing slowly returned to a manageable pace, shoulders falling slack with relief. A couple of minutes passed as he stared blankly ahead, trying to comprehend what he had just seen.

 _What the hell was that?_

Slipping gingerly out of his bed, Kakashi haphazardly donned his uniform and left the room, a slight creak of the door being the only sound made as he shut it behind him.

 _I need some air._

From the corner of his eye, he spotted a small panelled window at the end of the hallway. With his agenda in mind, Kakashi made a beeline towards the window, and wrenched it open with ease.

 _Hm. Seems big enough._

Setting his foot atop the ledge, the leaf ninja launched himself into the outside world, finding salvation in the cool wind that enveloped his body . Deftly landing on his feet, Kakashi stretched his arms over his head, relaxing as the tension left his body. The front yard of the Kibo Nin dorm faced an arid field, the only sign of life being a patch of dry grass near the well.

"If I was the enemy, you would be dead by now."

Without batting an eyelid, Kakashi turned towards the familiar voice. It wasn't that he hadn't sensed a presence, it was just he didn't think it was worth being alarmed about. The lack of malice indicated to him that the subject was not a threat, and so treated it as such.

"Good morning to you too, Reina."

The unimpressed kunoichi simply stared back at him, refusing to take part in his morning antics.

"You awaken before even the sun has from its slumber. State your purpose."

Kakashi stared at Reina, reassuring himself of her presence in front of him.

 _She's in front of me. Alive. Serious as ever, but alive._

"You have a bad habit of questioning others at inappropriate times. Didn't your parents teach you how to converse with others? What about the small talk? Hi Kakashi, good to see my amazing and handsome leader first thing in the morning."

Reina scoffed in disbelief at Kakashi's comments.

"You are an insufferable man, second only to that idiot from Iwagakure."

Regardless of his mischievous behaviour, she played into his words, purely out of curiosity on his reaction.

"Please, tell me of these actions that make you, as you say, 'amazing'. I would thoroughly enjoy the retelling of these momentous occasions."

Kakashi didn't let it be known, but he was elated at Reina's sarcasm. A crack had finally been made in the wall she'd put up against him, and he was ready to create more.

"Don't forget handsome. That is by far the most important point."

Silence was the only thing that followed his words, apart from the disappointment that she didn't continue their repartee.

 _Wait... Does her silence mean that she agrees?_

"You never answered my question."

He deliberated on evading the question to continue their fun banter, but decided against it in the end. He had already achieved one goal today, and he didn't want to be greedy for another.

"Couldn't sleep."

She didn't ask for further elaboration, and he didn't volunteer it. They both understood that many sleepless nights awaited them, some unwanted, but most necessary.

Silence again filled the air between the two ninjas, the midnight blue sky lightening slowly as dawn approached upon them.

"Do all Kirigakure kunoichi have yellow eyes?"

Reina snapped her head towards him with silent rage, Kakashi's eyes widening in surprise. He was shocked that the question he had been thinking about since yesterday had escaped his lips. He normally held good control over his words and emotions, but this woman was making him lose all sense of himself. Whether it was the challenge of gaining her trust, or simply her unique way of talking, she brought out a side of Kakashi he didn't even know existed.

"I don't know what you speak of."

"When I saw you at the field, I thought you had-"

"You thought wrong. I have brown eyes, as you can see yourself right now."

"I'm pretty sure that I-"

"You thought wrong!"

Reina's outburst sent the silver haired ninja into a dumbfounded state. The sheer overreaction already told him he was right, but he couldn't understand why she was hiding it.

"Reina, you don't need to—"

She glared at him fiercely, making it clear she wasn't interested in discussing the topic any further.

However, team unity still had to be established between her and the members, and this definitely would not be of any assistance in that. Kakashi then decided against pushing the matter any further. The truth would come out eventually, he just had to be patient.

"Okay okay. I saw wrong, my bad. I'm sorry."

Her lack of response was enough confirmation for Kakashi that his apology had at least been noted. Although he hadn't known her for long, there was a an uncanny amount of similarity between herself and his past self that created a level of understanding he believed only he could achieve.

The stillness in the air was becoming unnerving for Kakashi, until he found his eyes facing her back.

"Dawn has arrived. I will leave now."

Kakashi was about to dispute her departure when she turned slightly over her shoulder to meet his eyes again.

"Take care of yourself."

Taken aback by her surprisingly kind words, he watched her mirror his previous movements, neatly jumping over to the second floor window, and disappearing through it within seconds. The only thing he could do was watch as she vanished before his very eyes.

 _Well, I guess the front door isn't going to be used that much._

He turned back towards the horizon, a small grin creeping onto his face. To go from having a nightmare to seeing a rare side of Reina, he couldn't help but be slightly joyful at the progress that had been made. Whether she liked it or not, getting closer to her was the only way of establishing trust with each other - with the team.

 _It's for the mission._

As the sun finally broke through and lit the sky a brilliant orange, he allowed himself to sit on the nearby grass and take in the moment.

 _Wow, she's worried about me. I guess she has a heart afterall._

The morning had taken a huge turn for the better, and he hoped it would stay that way.


End file.
